Of Rivets and Angels
by Gemini Star01
Summary: Three years ago, T.K. left his old life behind. Now he's part of a Robin-Hood type gang, the Angels, sworn to protect against the Rivets. But when a girl from his past gets dragged into the fight, will he make the ultimate sacrifice? *Oh dear...CH. 5 UP*
1. Rescue

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Okay, okay…I know I should be working on Future's Course…I know Diamond in the Rough is long over-do for a new chapter…I know a dozen people are waiting for me to finish Grass is Greener…I know, I know, I know…But I just really had to do this fic, offa one of those weird ideas I get all the time. So just live with me…Er, PG-13 for a little language and violence.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, and I'm not a part of a gang. But the Angels, the Rivets, and Mia are property of me and me alone.

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Of Rivets and Angels

Chapter One: Rescue

_"Oh, T.K., you know I care about you too…"_

T.K. sighed. She wasn't getting it. "That's not what I mean, Kari!" he urged, but then his courage failed and he started to stutter. "What I said was…What I mean…"

Kari gave him a strange look, then laughed. "Oh, T.K., you're so funny!" she giggled. "You always make me laugh…"

T.K.'s face fell. For a moment, Kari had second thoughts about what she'd said, but she didn't have time to take it back. Her best friend took to his heels and ran from the dance, calling "I'll see you tomorrow!" half-heartedly.

The next day, it was spread that Davis and Kari had been caught slow-dancing that evening. T.K. was crushed when he heard they were going steady…

T.K. shook his head. Why was that memory coming back, after all these years? 

He put his leg up on the ledge of the apartment roof and leaned over so he could see the whole neighborhood, moving slowly below him in the late twilight. It was just this area, he reasoned, where they'd tracked the Rivets. It looked much to much like 'home'…

"See anything yet?" Mia asked, leaning over the side next to him. She tossed her black pony tail over her shoulder and gazed out with bottle green eyes.

T.K. grinned. Amelia Hameraki Tisatsu, or Mia, as she insisted on being called, was a very good friend of his. She wore a short black leather jacket that ended just under her ribs, a tight-fitting purple T-Shirt, black jeans, a silver chain-line belt, and black leather boots. The back of her jacket was embroidered with small white wings, and there was a small silver chain around her neck that a grateful old man had once given her. On her face were purple tinted, silver-rimmed sun glasses that made her eyes almost violet.

T.K.'s outfit was quite the same, with a few differences. His shirt was white with a spread collar and tight cuffs like the cool guys in Shoujo comic. His jacket was full-length, with a silver chain hanging from the pocket, and the same wings insignia on the back. Instead of boots, he wore black tennis shoes with black laces and white socks, as well as black, fingerless gloves on his hands. His sunglasses were pure black and hid his eyes entirely.

"Not really." he said, brushing his hair back out of his eyes. "You sure the Rivets moved into this area?"

"Positive." Mia whispered. She was smart and kind and had a brain that didn't deserve to be on the streets. She always said her dream was to be a secret agent for the FBI, so she could use her smarts to protect people, the way she loved to. "You been around here before?"

T.K. gazed over the neighborhood again. "Nope." he said. "Not that I know of…It does look sortta familiar, though…"

Mia grinned at him. "Maybe it's _your_ neighborhood." she snickered.

T.K. glared at her. It'd been three years, but those memories were still open wounds in his mind. Mia's eyes dropped. "Okay, okay…I won't mention it again."

They were silent for a moment. T.K. pulled his jacket around himself for a little wind protection, and his eyes glazed over in thought…

"Hey, T.K.?" Mia looked at her partner. "If we ever did find your neighborhood… would you go visit your mother?"

T.K. was silent. Three years on the streets had worn on the kind boy, he was seventeen, and thoughts of his family or friends always put him in this kind of mood. But Mia had gone through enough with him to understand.

"Yeah…" she sighed. "Me either. Mama wouldn't be too proud to see her baby, all grown up to become a gangster, huh?"

They laughed. Yeah, the Angels were gangsters, but not like the Rivets. They didn't go around shooting people for no reason or robbing stores or selling drugs. They were a different type, more of a Robin-Hood-and-the-Merry-Men type gang.

There was a sudden screech from the streets below. Both Angels sprinted to the other side and gazed over into the back alley.

Three punks, one with blonde hair, one with red, and one with brown, all in buzz cuts with black leather jackets filled with large holes, were rounding in on a young woman about their age. She had shoulder-length brown hair and was dressed in pink leggings, a white shirt, and yellow vest.

"Rivets at six o'clock." Mia nodded.

"Looks like a regular D.I.D." T.K. muttered. D.I.D. was their own code, from an American movie they'd seen once. It meant, quite simply 'Damsel In Distress'.

Mia grinned at him. "Maybe you'll get a nice reward this time, Romeo." she teased.

T.K. turned red. "Let's just help her…" he muttered.

The young woman was cornered, clutching her groceries close. The three big guys were closing in on her, cracking their knuckles and grinning. "Com'on, little lady." one of them laughed. "Just give us yer money."

She stepped back, against the wall. "Come on, pretty girl." the red head growled, grabbing her by the wrist. "Give it!"

Next thing anyone knew, a black booted foot connected with the side of the guy's head, sending him sprawling. "What the…?" the girl gasped, staring.

Two kids, one boy, one girl, both her age and dressed in black, were facing the mini-gang.

Mia brushed her hair back. "And there's more where that came from, Rivets."

"Damn you." growled the blonde gang member. "Damn Angels…"

Without warning, he lunged at Mia. She ducked, and T.K. countered with a swift punch/stroke over her back, getting the guy in the stomach. What followed was a wild volley of kicks, punches, and a bit of teamwork.

Finally, the guys with the holes in their jackets scrambled off. "Let's get outta here!" one of them called.

"We'll get you for this, Angels!" the brown haired one shout, cursed loudly, and ran.

"That'll be the day, Rivet-holes!" T.K. called after them.

"Bawk-bawk-bawk!" Mia waved her arms as wings, then fell back laughing.

They turned back to the girl. She was still pressed up against the wall, shaking, and gazing at them nervously. Her bag of groceries were on the ground, and a few oranges were scattered out.

Mia picked the oranges up, put them back in the bag, and handed it to her kindly. "It's okay." she smiled. "We're the good guys here."

T.K. held out his hand to help her up. As she lifted to her feet, his eyes, although still hidden behind the sun glasses, locked into hers.

T.K. froze, and his hand immediately flew to his breast pocket. _Oh god…It's her…It's **her**…_

Kari Kamiya brushed herself off, then smiled at the two kids. "Thank you." she sighed. "You saved me…"

"All in a day's work." Mia winked, then she clapped T.K. on the back. "Now then…Why don't you walk the lady home, Romeo?"

She grinned. T.K. turned a deep red. Even though she was his partner, Mia was always poking fun at his dreamer's view at life. If only she knew…

"It's quite alright." Kari whispered. "I can get home on my own."

"Nonsense!" Mia insisted, pushing T.K. over and giving him instructions. "You take the girl home, just to make sure those Rivet-heads don't jump 'er again. I'll go on after 'em, and maybe they'll lead me down you-know-where."

Before either of the others could object, Mia had clambered up the fire escape and disappeared after the Rivets.

T.K. glanced at Kari out of the corner of his eye. _Does she know it's me? Does she know it's me? No…No, she couldn't…Not after this long. She probably doesn't even remember ol' T.K.…_

Kari nervously started out of the alley with her groceries. T.K. followed after about a step behind. After a moment, Kari looked back.

"Who are you guys, anyway?"

He turned a moment and pointed to the wings on his jacket. "We're…well, I guess you could call us a gang…" he said, hoping she wouldn't recognize his voice. He didn't know if he could stand confrontation, not now. "But we're a good gang. We're the Angels."

"And those other guys?" Kari continued. "The ones with the bullet holes?"

"They're called the Rivets." T.K. continued. "And those aren't bullet holes, they're rivet holes. This…" he pulled up his jack to show her a hole in the cloth. It was smaller and torn a bit more than the ones on the others. "This is a bullet hole."

Kari looked horrified. "Were you shot?" she gasped.

"A couple of times." T.K. said coolly. "Shot, stabbed, strangled…you name it, 'cept bein' hung. We've had run-ins with the Rivets before, they play pretty dirty. Gang up on ya five to one, them armed, you not. Mean folks."

"I see…" Kari muttered. "Is it just…the two of you?"

"Nah." T.K. shook his head. "There're tons of us, all over town. The two of us are just a team."

Kari smiled, then stopped. "Here we are." she said, nodding towards the tall, gray building. "You wanna come in? Have something to drink?"

T.K. shook his head and began to sweat nervously. If he went inside, someone would recognize him for sure! "Really…That's alright…I've got to get going…"

"Oh, come on." she gave him a gentle smile she used on everyone, but had particularly won T.K. over when they'd been together. "It'll just be for a moment."

T.K. gulped nervously. _Don't give in…Don't give in…Don't give in…_

"Kari!"

The girl turned. Her brother was running towards them, home from college. There was a look of fire in his eyes, about his little sister talking to some stranger in black leather.

T.K. took advantage of that to make a dash for it, and before Kari could stop him, he was half-way down the street. "Wait a sec!" Kari called, but he was around the corner and gone.

"Who was that?!" Tai demanded, coming up behind her.

She turned on him angrily. "You ran him off!" she accused, then stared back off where the boy had disappeared. "I never even got to ask his name…"


	2. A Broken Heart

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This is the second re-write of Chapter 2...And thank goodness for it that I went on a long, boring vacation, because I got one great idea!

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Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, and I have never been part of a gang, good or evil.

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Of Rivets and Angels

Chapter 2: A Broken Heart

"Fools!" the Boss yelled. "Imbeciles! How could you, Rivets, lose to a couple of child Angels?! And one of them a girl!"

"Sorry boss…" the three muttered.

The leader took a deep breath, then looked up. "What is it?!" the Boss shouted.

"If you'll please, sir, I believe I know a way to return our honor." he said, and smiled a bit in excitement. "That boy…I followed him. He walked the girl we'd jumped home. And…I could see it." he stepped forward. "He has feelings for her. If we…"

"Stop!" snapped the leader, and he quieted. The Boss was working it out in his head. "I know what you're saying…We get the girl, and the Angel comes running, is that right?"

"Exactly, sir!" the man was excited. "Then shall we?"

"Yes…" the boss laughed to himself. "We shall…"

~ * ~ * ~

T.K. sighed. He sat on a roof, but it wasn't one of the apartment buildings around them. It was an old police storage site, empty, with about six rooms in it, one of the places the Angels used for shelter.

Even though the Angels weren't officially part of the police, and weren't on their payroll, or ever, ever mentioned in the police reports, the local station appreciated them greatly. They let the Angels stay at old warehouses or sheds whenever they were in the area, and donated bread when food was low.

Even though, the Angels almost never got paid and practically never had enough to eat, but it was alright. The Angels weren't in this gig for rewards, they were in it for the feeling, and for a meaning to their lives.

Each and every Angel was a runaway, or an orphan, homeless, or abused. Some were adolescent, some adult, but all had gone through the training and had the same mission: to protect people from the Rivets.

Mia's father had been a drug addict, and she'd had six younger brothers and sisters. It finally got to where her folks didn't have enough money to take care of her, and she'd been set out on the streets to fend for herself at eleven. T.K. didn't like to think about his past or family, and talked about it even less.

He sighed, leaning back on the slanted roof. Right now, he and Mia were the only ones staying at this location, but the roof was still the only place he could escape, and even then, just for a moment.

He reached into the inside breast pocket of his jacket and pulled out a picture. It was a wonderful memory, him and Kari, in New York. She was smiling, he was giving the peace-sign wave and, although you couldn't see it, he had his arm around her, mainly to make Davis mad. But it was still such a sweet memory…yet, so hurtful…

"What 'cha got there?"

T.K. jumped a foot and stuffed the picture back into his pocket. Mia had snuck up on him, and no matter how fast he'd been, she'd seen the picture and knew what was happening.

"So, it is your neighborhood, after all!" she cried triumphantly. "And that girl we saved today…no wonder you were so shy!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" T.K. snapped, turning pink.

"Okay, T.K., 'fess up." Mia grabbed him. "Who is she? A friend? Or more?"

"Mia…" T.K. growled warningly. "Drop it."

He turned away. But when Mia got onto something, she was relentless until she got what she wanted.

"Something I always wondered about you, T.K.…" she said, approaching from another angle. "Is why you ran away in the first place. You always said it had to do with your parent's split and your brother being so busy and all…but there had to be more."

She grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around. "It had something to do with that girl, didn't it?" she demanded. "What happened? What's going on?"

"Just drop it!" T.K. snapped, and turned stubbornly away again.

Mia's head dropped. "T.K.…You know you can tell me…" she whispered, but he didn't answer. Then she worked it out, and her face lit up.

"She broke your heart, didn't she?!" she squeaked. T.K. refused to answer, but she'd figured it out. "She did! You fell in love, and she rejected you!"

"Mia, would you just SHUT UP!!" T.K. shouted.

Mia fell silent. Her friend almost never screamed, and never at her. She'd rubbed a real sore spot. "I'm sorry…" she whispered.

T.K. took a deep breath. "I didn't mean to yell." he said, as calmly as he could. "It's just…You wouldn't understand."

"Try me." Mia whispered.

T.K. shook his head. "No."

Finally, Mia dropped it. The two of them sat on the roof, watching the sun set, not talking, not moving, not looking at each other, just watching the sun go down as the sky turned a brilliant orange.

"T.K.?" Mia asked quietly.

He turned. "Yeah?" 

She grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked him to her. She pressed her lips to his and held them there. T.K. was so shocked he couldn't even move, just stared at her wildly.

Suddenly, she let go. She was smiling and turning a very pale shade of pink. "Gotta go." she whispered, then leapt down from the roof and ran to start her shift.

~ * ~ * ~

"Kari!" Yolei called, "Are you coming or what?!"

"I'm coming…"

Kari picked up her bag and slid it over her shoulders. She and Yolei were heading home from school together. Both were dressed in the Odiva Jr. High uniform: Green skirt, long-sleeved green shirt, a white sailor's collar, and a navy bow in front.

"Sorry 'bout that, Yolei…" she muttered. "I was just thinking…"

"You've been awfully spaced lately, Kari." Yolei gave her friend a worried look. "Somethin' the matter?"

"Oh…kinda." Kari sighed. "It's weird…I mean, I don't even know him…"

"Who?" she'd got Yolei's interest. "A new crush? It's about time! You haven't had a date since you and Davis broke up!"

Kari blushed. She should never have opened her big mouth. She and Davis had broken up after a year and a half. They were still friends, but not lovingly close.

"Well?" Yolei prompted. "Who is it?"

"Just…Just some guy…" Kari muttered. "It was a couple of days ago…I nearly got mugged on the way home from your store…"

"You've got a crush on a mugger?"

"No!" Kari snapped. "It was…Well, these two kids dropped outta nowhere and cashed them off! It was amazing!"

"Ah…" Yolei grinned. "So which hero was it?"

"There was only one guy…" she continued. "The other was…"

"Sounds like he's already got a girlfriend." Yolei waved a warning finger.

"Oh, but he said that she's just his partner!" Kari insisted. "She made him walk me home…Poor kid, he was so shy! Barely looked at me the whole time! Said they were part of a team called Angels, and she was his assigned partner, and…"

"Take it easy! Take it easy!" Yolei waved her arms around. "I didn't ask for a play-by-play! Just tell me…What's he like?"

"Well…" Kari had a dreaming looked in her eyes. "He was really sweet…And cute…And he had the best voice…"

"Hair/eyes/height?" Yolei prompted.

"Blonde. But I couldn't see his eyes, there were these black sunglasses that covered them up. And he must have been about six foot three…he was almost taller than my brother!"

"Mm-hm…" Yolei had a very strange look on her face. "I see…"

"To tell the truth…" Kari pulled a picture out of her pocket and fingered it quietly. "He sortta reminded me of someone…"

Yolei glanced at the picture. "Who? T.K.?"

Kari blushed and stuffed the New York picture back into her pocket. It was true. He had reminded her of T.K., but…He was gone, now. He'd run away years ago. But still…

"There's Ken!" she said quickly, drawing attention away from herself.

Yolei quickly straitened her hair and adjusted her glasses to meet her boyfriend. They two had been going out for about two years now, and she always looked forward to seeing him after school. He always looked the best, she insisted, in the black slacks, navy blue jacket, white shirt and black tie required of the Tamachi High male students.

Kari felt a pang of jealousy as she greeted her boyfriend with a hug and was returned with a kiss. She remembered longingly what it was like to have someone to be close to…she desperately wanted one again. Maybe that boy…As if. She'd probably never see him again. It would do no good to dwell on him forever.

With a screech, a black car suddenly came screeching up to the curve, spewing up a cloud of dust the covered Kari for a moment. The door crashed open, and several men in black jackets, filled with holes, leapt out.

"Okay, sister, in the car." one growled, grabbing Kari by the wrist.

"Hey…Leggo!" Kari squirmed, but the other two started forcing her into the back of the car. "Yolei! Ken! Help!"

Ken was on the run in an instant. "Put her down!" he shouted, throwing a punch at the guy's face.

But these men were well trained. He grabbed Ken's fist in one hand, then forcefully kneed him in the stomach. Ken doubled over and hit his knees, gasping for breath.

"Ken!" Yolei cried, running to his side.

The men threw Kari into the back of the car, jumped in, and slammed the door. Kari pressed her hands against the glass as the car speed away, her two friends watching helplessly as it disappeared down the street.


	3. Ransom

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Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, but the Angels and the Rivets are both mine.

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Of Rivets and Angels

Chapter 3: Ransom

T.K. leaned back on his straw-stuffed, frayed old mattress, half-dozing. Mia was out on patrol. They often did this: One would stay and get some shut eye until midnight, while the other scoured the area for clues, or late-night Rivet attacks.

On the back of his eyelids was a bit of a movie…a kind of dream, the kind you get when you're not quiet, but almost asleep, and the ones you remember after they happen. It was so enjoyable he never wanted to wake.

In this dream, she wasn't laughing at him, but with him. Everything about her was beautiful, her hair, her eyes, her smile…how could he ever have forgotten her? It was a mystery, but here she was in his arms, and he could practically feel her hot breath on his neck…

_Damn. _he thought sleepily. _Why can't I just be happy with what I have? I mean, Mia's nice…we've been together a long time…and she's…interested…_

His fingers brushed against his lips as the memory of the kiss came back. _She's really interested…_ he murmured to himself. _So why can't I think of anything but…Her?_

She's our true love, you idiot! his heart snapped angrily. _It doesn't matter what she did!_

****

You're crazy. his head thought _It's only 'true love' if both people feel it. She didn't…Mia does…_

But do you? the heart yelled back.

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Yes!

No you don't, stupid! I'm your heart! You can't lie about your feelings to me! She's just a friend, and you know it! Kari's the real deal!

Then why'd she reject me, then?! the mind insisted. _She doesn't care, then neither do I! And that's final!_

****

We're in love! You don't just forget that!

There was a _CLUNK_ sound from the door of the shack, interrupting the mental argument. T.K. knew the sound a little too well: It was the sound of a knife being buried into the wood of the door.

T.K. leapt out of bed and flung the door open, just in time to see two rivets, about twice his size each, rounding the corner down the street. His eyes drew to the knife in the door. A butcher knife, looking like it'd been stolen from a meat shop because it was stained with the red juice of raw meat, and was holding several pictures face-down on the door.

T.K. pulled the knife out, threw it to the ground, and yanked the pictures into view. As he flipped through them, one at a time, his eyes widened at each one.

The first showed a girl with brown hair…Kari…being forced into the back of a car by several men in the trademark Rivets jacket. The next, obviously from the inside of the car, was a girl with long purple hair crouching over a boy with black hair, clutching his stomach and grimacing in pain…Ken and Yolei…and he could see Kari gazing out from one of the windows.

The last one was the classic ransom photo: the victim, Kari, tied hand and foot and bound to a chair, a gag over her mouth and a knife to her throat. A newspaper in the background was dated _April 7th, 2007_ showing that it was taken the day before.

T.K. could feel his hands shaking. "How could they?" he whispered to himself. "How? How did they know? Why her?"

_They followed me!_ he suddenly realized. _Damn it, Mia…You had to make me walk her home, didn't you?!_

No good blaming Mia now. He had to figure out where the Rivets had taken Kari! The answer, however, was plain as day: written on the back of the hostage picture with the knife to her:

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367 N. West 32nd

That was it! The address, where she was. He dropped the other two pictures onto the floor and grabbed his jacket from the wall.

_Don't go alone! _a voice in his head warned. More likely than not, it was his common sense._ It's a trap! Wait for Mia!_

No! There might not be any time! his insane, love-sick heart shouted with every beat._ Kari's in danger! I have to save her!_

The heart was much louder, and won without a fight. Five minutes later, he was scaling the fire escapes and jumping from rooftop to rooftop, looking for 367 North West 32nd.

~ * ~ * ~

"T.K.!" Mia called, leaping down from the rooftop and running inside. Her face was flushed and her hair was messy, but she'd had such a rush that night. "Your shift's up…T.K.?!"

Her partner was nowhere to be found. His bed was empty, and his jacket was missing. This wasn't right at all…

"T.K.? T.K.!" she called again, searching through the whole place. "Where are you?! T.K., can you hear me?!"

Back at the front door, a butcher knife on the floor caught her eye. It looked to be stained with…Blood?!

With relief, she realized it was only juice from raw meat. Stolen, no doubt, another Rivet trick. But what was T.K. doing with something like that…?

She spotted two pictures and picked them up off the floor. Her eyes widened. "Oh god…" she whispered, then ran out the door. "T.K.! Come back! T.K.!"

Within a second, Mia was up the roof and leaping from one to another. She didn't know where he'd gone, but if he gave himself up…she could never forgive herself for not being there. She had to find him!

~ * ~ * ~

The dark quiet of the night, the moonlight filtering in slowly from one of the high windows, down on the sleeping captive. She was still bound hand and foot, and her head hung limp, finally giving into the warm exhaustion of sleep.

Suddenly, one of the windows cracked open. There was a small creak, but not enough to alert anyone.

T.K. leapt down from the window. He could see the large doors across from him, partially open with so that a single person could slip in or out. They'd be expecting him to come in that way. He wanted to set her free first.

Silently, stealthily, he crept to her side. He had to admit, she looked rather…rather beautiful sitting there, bathed in moonlight, still in her school uniform. But no time to waste on that now. He pulled a small pocket knife from his belt and began working on the ropes around her arms.

About half way through, she felt the hand on her wrist and woke up. Her eyes widened when she saw him, and she muffled something against her gag. "Shush." he warned in a whisper. "They'll hear you."

He finished on her arms. She pulled the gag off as he started on the coils around her ankles. "Why do you keep saving me?" she asked, still whispering.

"It's…It's my job…" he muttered, as the last rope snapped. He stood, pulling her by the wrist. "We gotta get outta here."

"You know that's not what I meant." she snapped her hand back. "You told me yourself, there are lots more around here. So why do _you_ always save _me_?"

"Kari…" he began, then clapped his hand over his mouth to keep from saying anything else so stupid.

She was startled. "How…How do you know my name?" she gasped. "I never told you when we talked before…and you never told yours…"

_Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!_ he felt like hitting himself. _You're not supposed to know her!_

"Have you been watching me?" she demanded. "Is that why you know who I am? And why'd they kidnap _me_ of all people? What's going on? Who are you?!"

T.K. sighed. "I guess I couldn't hide forever…" he muttered, pulling off his dark glasses and turning to face her.

She gaped for a moment, eyes wide, mouth open. Then she stepped forward and touched his cheek like she couldn't believe what she was seeing, or like she was staring at a dream. "T-T.K.?" she whispered. "Is it really…?"

T.K. turned away. "Come on." he muttered coldly. Those wounds in the past do not heal so easily. "We should get out of here."

Kari was hurt. Why was he so mad at her? She'd never done anything…Had she?

She gagged on the memory. The dance. Three years ago. The longing, aching sincerity in his eyes…The crushed face as she laughed…Tears…Tears! She hadn't seen those before…

__

That's why… she thought. _He told me… Three years ago…He was serious…Oh god, how could I be so stupid?!_

She approached him nervously, then touched his arm. "Did…Did I hurt you that bad?" she asked gently.

He flatly refused to look at her. She sighed, gazing away hopelessly before muttering. "I've missed you, T.K.…"

There was a low laugh from the shadows near Kari. "Ain't that just the sweetest thing you ever saw?"

T.K. stiffened and Kari gazed around in fear. All around them, Rivets appeared in the doors, the windows, from crevices and rafters. There must have been at least two dozen of them.

T.K. glanced towards the door. It was still open, and there was a straight path right to it. He glanced sideways at Kari. "You make a break for it." he muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

Kari was startled. "But…But T.K.!" 

"Just go!" T.K. snapped. A Rivet lunged forward. T.K. punched him in the stomach, then flipped him over his shoulder. "I'm the one they want, not you. So get out!"

"I can't just leave!" she cried, backing away. "They could kill you!"

T.K. gave another kick, then some guy grabbed him from behind in a strangle hold. "You've got a better chance of helping me out there!" he groaned, gathering his strength to throw him away. "You gotta find…the Angels…Get Mia…She'll know what to do."

Kari watched, wide-eyes, as her old friend threw his attacker into two of his fellows. "Who's Mia?!" she cried, and started for the door.

"My partner!" T.K. gasped. He was bleeding above his right eye. "Just find her! She'll…She'll help! Now go!"

Kari finally obliged, sprinting into the streets. Tears sprouted in her eyes as she ran from the scene, and it was good she left when she did.

T.K. threw another into a pillar, but he was tiring. He didn't know how much longer he could last against the whole gang…

"Guess you heart outweighed your head, eh, Angel-Boy?" someone growled from behind him. T.K. turned just before the heavy cement slab connected with his skull and everything went black.

~ * ~ * ~

Kari ran through the streets. Ran had started pouring down, and she'd been soaked a long tome ago, but she still didn't stop.

_I've gotta find her. _she thought desperately. _I've gotta find that girl…Mia's what he called her…Gotta hurry, gotta hurry…T.K.'s in trouble!_

She tripped and landed face-first in a puddle, water splashing everywhere. She raised to her knees, but didn't get all the way up. She was too busy crying, shaking with every sob. "It's…all…my…fault!" she choked out. "I'm the reason he ran away…I'm the reason he's probably dead now! It's all…my…fault…"

She was sobbing there for several minutes, before something over-took her and she collapsed into a deep sleep.


	4. Past Wounds

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Ah…Nothin' like bein' home after a much-too-long vacation my folks dragged me into, and working on those crazy ideas I came up with in our accumulative 22 hours on the plane, not to mention 10.6 in the rental car, and 6.3 in the airport. So I've got plenty of ideas for this fic, and Diamond in the Rough, and Grass is Greener, and a new one, and the ending for Future's Course. This'll be fun.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, but I own Sailor Moon Z, and all the fics above.

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Of Rivets and Angels

Chapter 4: Past Wounds

Kari groaned and opened her eyes. She was lying on her back, a light was above her, a pillow and mattress below, and a blanket on top. She'd dried partly, but was still a little wet.

She sat up. Strange. It looked like a warehouse that had been spiffed up with beds and what looked like a makeshift table, with a hand-carved wooden cup on it. "Where am I?" she asked no one in particular.

"Our home."

Kari spun around. The black-haired girl sat across from her, legs crossed and eyes closed. Kari recognized her instantly. "You're Mia!" she gasped. "You've gotta help! T.K. is…"

"Be quiet." Mia snapped. Kari fell silent. Mia was meditating. After a moment, she spoke again, opening her eyes. "Where is he?"

"A warehouse…" Kari whispered. "In the Delta district. Route 32."

"Fine." Mia uncrossed her legs. "We've gotta find him. But before we do…" she leaned forward in order to hear Kari speak. "You tell me something. What happened between you two?"

Kari took a deep breath and glanced out the window. It was still drizzling a bit, and the sky was gray and cloudy. "I never really meant for it to go this far…" she whispered. "I guess it all started…we met about seven years ago, when we were eight. We were part of this group, with some other kids…We were friends, really close friends, but then, about three years ago…"

~ * ~ * ~

It was the Valentine's Day dance at Odiva Jr. High. Everyone was dressed up for the formal attire that was required. Kari wore a pink dress, with white ruffles. In the middle of one of the faster songs, T.K. pulled her over to the side.

"What's up?" she asked, smiling at her best friend.

T.K. swallowed. _Do it! Do it now! _his heart urged.

"Kari…" he croaked. "You…You know I _care_ about you, right?"

Kari smiled at him gently. "Why, of course, T.K." she giggled. "You know I care about you, too."

_She doesn't get it…She doesn't get it…_ his heart whispered.

"That's not what I mean!" he exclaimed, but then his courage failed and he started to stutter. "What…What I was trying to say is…Kari…I _love_ you." he croaked out the 'l-word' with a high-pitched squeak.

Kari gave him a strange look, then laughed. "Oh, T.K., you're so funny!" she giggled. "I can't believe you set me up like that! You always make me laugh!"

T.K.'s face fell. _She doesn't love me! She doesn't! She doesn't!_ his heart sobbed over and over.

_Get a grip!_ yelled the mind _Don't freak out! She'll just think you're even weirder!_

For a moment, Kari was hesitant about what she had said. He looked upset…but before she could ask what was wrong, T.K. had taken to his heels from the gym. "T.K., wait!" she called.

"I've gotta go home…" T.K. muttered. "I'll…I'll see you tomorrow!"

That was the last time Kari ever saw him.

~ * ~ * ~

The next morning, T.K. was curled in his bed, blinking away tears hopelessly. The gossiper's words just came playing back in his head:

_"I hear Kamiya's goin' steady with Motamiya now."_

"No kidding! I caught them slow-dancing at the dance last night! They were, like, breathing down each other's necks!"

"Davis's always had the biggest crush on her, but she never showed any real interest_ in him…"_

"She never showed interest in anybody! You know Kari, she always keeps her feelings to herself."

"They'll be the big couple at Homecoming this year!"

And on it went. T.K. was crushed. He'd always thought…deep in his heart…he'd always believed she'd be the one person who'd never send him away, the one person who'd never laugh at him, or hurt him, or anything. He'd always thought they were destined…_destined_…and the pain of rejection still burned in the pit of his heart.

He ditched school that day. All the rumors had been heard in the front yard. All he had to do was turn around and run, leaving Patamon in the computer room. No one had seen him, not Kari, not Davis, not even his mother, who had stayed over night on an undercover job and was to be back that evening.

His mind turned to the rest of his problems, tumbling over and over in his head: He'd been so alone his whole life, since the family had split up.

His brother… Always so cold and hard, like a rock, his seal never cracking, not even for his little brother.

His father… never got to see him anyway, not since the split.

His mother…Always so busy, not a moment of time to spend with him, not even when he was little. And Kari…

All this longing, all this loneliness, all this pain…he couldn't take it anymore! With a few swift trips around the apartment, stuffing food and other necessities into his bag, he was satisfied with what he had. He pulled the bag over his shoulder, and climbed out the window and onto the fire escape.

It was noon, the sun was high overhead, and anyone could have seen him, but no one did. Not as he dropped to the ground, not as he ran down the sidewalk, not as he crossed the bridge to a new part of town, across the river, never once looking back at the place that had been his home…

~ * ~ * ~

Someone pounded at the Kamiya's door. Kari stuck her head out of her room as Tai stood from the couch and answered it. "Matt!" he cried, genuinely surprised. "What brings you to this side of town?"

Matt's blue eyes looked stressed and he wrung his hands together. "I need to talk to Kari."

"Kari?" Tai blinked. "Why…What's up?"

"I already talked to Davis, Yolei, Cody and Ken. She's the last one who saw T.K. last night." Matt gasped in one breath. "I've gotta talk to her."

"Why?" Kari stepped into the hall. Tai moved back so she could face Matt. "What's wrong with T.K.? He wasn't at school today."

Matt looked up and locked eyes with her. "He skipped." he whispered. "And some of his stuff is gone, clothes and things, along with all their bread, and cereal, and all those non-perishable foods, and his back pack. Mom wasn't at home last night, and he just…vanished."

"What?!" Kari gasped. "T.K.'s…Gone?"

Tai put his hand on his head, eyes closed. "I don't like the sound of it…" he muttered, distracted. "His was missing, what was it? A set of clothes, some food, and a back pack…" he shook his head. "I dunno Matt…sounds like a runaway."

"Runaway?!" Kari gasped, but Matt just nodded.

"That's what the police say." he whispered. "He ran away…and no one knows why…"

~ * ~ * ~

"And…that was it." Kari glanced sideways, away from Mia.

"What about his family?" the black-haired girls asked. "His mom and Matt? What'd they do?"

"Nancy…that's his mom…she was pretty upset at first." Kari shook her head. "Now Matt spends one month with her in T.K.'s old room, the next with his Dad, so neither gets lonely."

"I see…" Mia nodded. "And I know exactly what happened to T.K.…"

"Then would you mind telling me?" it was Kari's turn to lean forward. "I wanna know how he got so…so cold…"

"Well, alright." Mia crossed her legs again. "See, it was my first time out…"

~ * ~ * ~

Fourteen-year-old Mia leapt from rooftop to rooftop, her hair fluttering and brand-new jacket rustling in the wind. She stopped a moment and gazed out over the city.

"Alright, Mia ol' girl, this is it." she muttered, dropping to the ground and beginning to explore the street. "Just find the agent disguised as a Rivet, and I'll be a full-fledged Angel! Now where to start…Woah!"

She suddenly hit the ground, having tripped over something. She sprawled a moment, then sat up to see what it was. Her eyes widened. "Oh my god…"

The thing she had tripped over was a boy.

He was just about her age, tall and thin, with shaggy blonde hair and pale skin, dressed in tattered old clothes with an empty blue bag lying beside him. He seamed to have collapsed from hunger or exhaustion. There were big bags under his eyes, and he clutched his stomach and groaned in pain. Feeling his head, she realized he had a terrible fever.

"Holy cow…" Mia whispered. She scrambled to his side. "Buddy…hey, buddy! Are you okay? Hey, pal, speak to me!"

The boy groaned again and rolled over to see her. He opened his eyes, just for a moment, revealing them to be a beautifully crystal-clear blue, then they closed again.

As soon as she saw those eyes, those beautiful, strong, captivating eyes, Mia knew she couldn't leave him. Nothing could wipe the mission from her mind, and becoming a full member of the gang, but he had. She had to save him, she just _had_ to!

With a groan, she grabbed him under the arms and dragged him towards the base. "Hang in there, buddy." she muttered. "Just a little while until we get there. Just hang on…"

~ * ~ * ~

T.K. felt a cool, gentle hand on his fevered brow. In his half-dazed state, he couldn't tell exactly who it was, or exactly why they were helping him.

He forced his eyes to open half-way. A girl was leaning over him, gently wiping the sweat away from his forehead with a cold, wet rag. For a second, his heart skipped a beat. _Is it…really…Kari?_

He blinked and the girl came into clearer focus. Her hair was long and black, not like Kari's short brown, and her skin was much darker from the sun. She smiled down on him joyfully.

"Good." she sighed. "You're awake."

T.K. sat up. His fever was gone, and he wasn't tired anymore. He was in some sort of shed or warehouse or something, lying on a straw bed. "Where…am I?" he whispered.

"This is the headquarters of the Angels based in the Yokohama Tokyo." the girl explained. "My name is Mia. I found you."

"Found…Me?"

"Yes indeed."

Both teenagers looked up. Standing in the doorway was a man, in his mid-forties, with silver hair and blue eyes. Mia immediately jumped up and bowed. T.K. just sat there, wondering what was going on.

"My name is Gabriel." the man said, smiling at T.K. "I'm the one that started this group, the Angels, a long time ago."

"Oh." T.K. whispered. "I'm T.K."

Gabriel nodded, then motioned to the girl. "Mia here found you out on the streets during her training mission three days ago." he explained. "She's been nursing you back to health ever since."

Mia turned a bit red, but Gabriel took no notice and continued. "You were malnourished, dehydrated, alone on the streets…clear signs of a runaway." at this point the smiled down at T.K. warmly. "We're all like that, at one point or another."

He held out his hand and helped T.K. up. "How would you like to stay here?" he asked. "And train to be a part of our group? It's quite rewarding in it's own sense."

"And you don't have to live on the streets, either!" Mia piped up. "We're here to protect against the Rivets!"

"Rivets?"

"They're these guys with holes in their jackets." Mia explained quickly. "A real mean group, attack people for no reason!"

T.K. though for a moment. "Holes in their jackets?" he asked. "I think…I think I got jumped by them, about a week ago. Took all my stuff, then knocked me clean out. I could of stayed another week if it hadn't been for that."

"Oh!" Mia gasped.

Gabriel nodded. "Ah. I see."

"Alright, then!" T.K. looked up, smiling for the first time in weeks. "I'll do it!"

Mia had to control her excitement, but it wasn't easy.

"Then it's settled." Gabriel nodded. "You, T.K., can begin the training in two days, Monday. And you, Mia…" he turned to the girl. "Are going to have to do it again with him."

Mia didn't have a response for that, except to stutter out, "But…But _sir!!_"

"No buts." Gabriel warned. "You didn't complete your actual mission, and you need to start over." he turned to leave. "We'll see you in two days."

The door slammed shut. Mia sighed. _All that hard work…_ went through her head.

But when she glanced at T.K., and the boy she'd found lost, alone and hungry was smiling, even laughing, it just made it all feel better.

~ * ~ * ~

"So that's our story." Mia sighed, uncoiling her legs and climbing to her feet. "Now, we gotta find T.K."

Kari sat there a moment, sighing to herself. _She's not fooling anyone._ she thought longingly. _She and T.K.… They've gotta be more than friends. I can tell. They are…He didn't really…_

Mia's hand suddenly appeared. Kari looked up in surprise. The other girl was waiting for her to stand up. "Well?" she prompted. "Come on. Let's get going already!"

Kari finally stood. She looked over at Mia. "Can I ask you something first?"

"Shoot." Mia shrugged, bouncing nervously. "But hurry. We may not have the time."

Kari sighed again, then looked up. "Do you…Are you and T.K.…Are you…You know…"

"Boyfriend and girlfriend?" Mia asked wistfully, looking away. "I wish."

"So you…You _do_ care about him!" Kari gasped.

"Yeah." Mia glared out from under her raven black bangs. "So you and I might be rivals. But for now, let's just focus on getting him back in one piece before we fight over who he belongs to."


	5. Sacrifice

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That's so strange…There are a few people who, even though this is a Takari fic, wanted a T.K./Mia couple. Hm…That would've been interesting…but this is how the story plays out, so don't kill me!!

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Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, never have, never will, unfortunately.

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Of Rivets and Angels

Chapter 5: Sacrifice

Mia ran forward as quick as a flash and pressed herself against the wall. She leaned out just a moment and peeked inside, then motioned to Kari, who hurried over and looked inside.

Her eyes widened. "What are they…"

"Shush." Mia cupped her hand over Kari's mouth. "Watch."

T.K. was bound to the large cement support pole in the very center of the warehouse. His arms were strapped on by what looked like bicycle chains, all linked together around the pillar so that they barely fit, a tight loop around each wrist and locked with a pad lock. But he didn't quite fit, so his arms were stretched back so badly it looked like his shoulders would break, and he was pressed against the side of the pillar. To stop any other fighting, his legs were latched together with a pair of handcuffs.

But it wasn't enough that the Rivets had pulled him almost to the point of breaking, oh no.

One by one, each of the members of the gang stepped forward for a chance at their captive. Every moment, the hall rang with the disgusting noise of fist hitting flesh, flesh hitting bone, and bone hitting cement. And with every punch came a new taunt:

"What's da matter, Angel-boy?"

"Not so tough now, are you?"

"Awful quiet. What, did that girl run off with you tongue _and _your heart?"

"Perk up, Romeo, it don't last much longer."

"Hey, Rivet-head, that's _my_ nick name!" Mia growled, clinching her fists angrily.

"That's terrible!" Kari was horrified. "T.K.'s totally helpless!"

"We told you, Rivets play dirty." Mia whispered back.

"What do we do?" Kari asked, worried sick. "How do we get him away from there?"

"Simple. It's getting out that's the problem." Mia shrugged, then pointed to one man, who was twirling a ring of keys. "See that guy there? He probably organized the operation. Since it was successful, he got first shot. Now listen carefully…" she pulled Kari over. "I'm gonna need your help."

"_My_ help?" Kari squeaked. "What can _I_ do?"

"I'm gonna grab the guy with the keys. Shouldn't be too hard, given they don't notice me." Mia had worked this out very carefully. "Then I'll give you get the keys. I'll make a big show, a distraction, to give you time to unlock T.K."

"And then…?"

"I've already called for a little back-up, but it could be an hour before they arrive. But T.K. and I should be able to hold 'em off 'til then."

"Mia…I dunno…" Kari looked in, worriedly. "Is T.K. in any shape to fight? They must have been beating on him the whole time we weren't here…"

"Naw." Mia shook her head. "The Rivets are cowards, but they like to watch their prisoners suffer. 'Specially us Angels." she pointed to a small welt rising on the back of T.K.'s head. "That looked like they hit 'em with something. If he was knocked out, they chained him up while he was still unconcious, but waited for the beating until he woke up. By the looks of it, they've only been doin' it about fifteen minutes by now."

"So are you ready or not?" Mia turned back to Kari impatiently. "Because there isn't much time!"

Kari nodded. "I'm ready."

"All right." Mia sighed, rubbed her hands together, and sighed again. "I'm goin' in."

"Good luck." Kari whispered as she disappeared into the warehouse.

It didn't take Mia very long. The guy with the keys was tall and cocky, twirling them around his finger as he leaned on the wall nearest the door. Mia just grabbed him, cupped her hand over his mouth silently, dragged him out, and rightly beat the stuffing outta him.

She pulled the keys out of his hand and gave them to Kari, who was ready for her part. The two rivals/partners gave each other a silent look, both of which said _"Don't you dare try anything funny with him."_

"Ready?" Mia asked out loud. Kari nodded. "Alright then…On three…One… Two……"

The Rivets gloated over their catch. The once-proud Angel, helpless against their on slot of attacks. He would be pounded to a pulp, before they stopped and ended him for good.

Suddenly, screaming like a cat, a girl with long black hair and the trademark Angels jacket came swinging into the room and knocked the Rivet pounding the boy away with a kick. "What in all the…" he gasped, hitting the ground, and the new Angel landed on top of him.

T.K. looked up groggily, and spotted his rescuer. "M-Mia!" he cried.

"Hey Romeo!" she called, knocking another out. "You still in one piece?"

T.K. could feel the cuffs around his feet undo suddenly. Another head suddenly popped up, and his heart skipped a beat. "Kari!"

"T.K., I am _so_ sorry!" Kari gasped, going for the chain on his right wrist. "I never meant to hurt you like this…It's all my fault! I never should have laughed at you…"

T.K. put a finger of his now-free hand to her lips, silencing her instantly. "No time for that now." he whispered. "No time…"

One of the Rivets lunged for Kari. "Watch out!" T.K. warned, snapping his arm back. The chain, still attached to his left wrist, curved around and struck the Rivet in the forehead, knocking the opponent back.

"That worked well." Kari muttered, but more Rivets were closing in.

"Hurry!" T.K. held the wrist out to her. "Get this chain off!"

It only took her a split second, then he leapt into the fray. "There's backup coming!" Mia shouted to her partner.

"Well, they better hurry up!" T.K. muttered, throwing another over his shoulder.

Kari, not having the Angels training, hovered on the side of the battlefield like a cheerleader, wondering what she could do to help. Two of the gang suddenly appeared behind her, and each grabbed a different shoulder.

"Well well well, little lady." one growled.

"Strange place for such a pretty woman…" the other laughed.

But this time she'd had enough. She wouldn't be a damsel in distress anymore.

T.K. and Mia turned at the sound of flesh hitting flesh, the loss of air, and two loud thumps. Kari was standing over the two crumpled forms, brushing her hands together contently. Mia grinned. "'Knew you had it in ya." she laughed.

Kari grinned, but the she backed into a living wall of Rivets. The three realized they were completely surrounded by the gang, about twenty of them, and the ones they had knocked over were back with a vengeance.

"Something tells me we're in trouble…" T.K. muttered under his breath.

The circle was closing in and the three were standing back to back to back. The Rivets grinned greedily, ready for a good pounding, even if two of the opponents were girls. The group was raising their hands, preparing in case they were set upon suddenly and…

With loud whoops and yells, Angels came pouring in. There weren't as many as the Rivets, but there were enough to hold them off.

"Yes!" Mia cheered. "The cavalry has arrived!"

She glanced back at her companions and her face fell. She could tell, the way those two looked at each other, fought along side each other, and protected each other so lovingly…He'd chosen long ago.

She was upset, but she just consoled herself with an old saying her mother had once used on a stray cat she'd found. Wanting desperately to keep the kitten, she'd tried everything to make it stay put. That's when her mother had said it: _"If you love them, let them go."_

_He's happy…_ she muttered to herself. _I mean, he's missed her all these years…I couldn't change it, no matter how much I care…I guess…If it's really what he wants…_

These thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a shotgun loading to the side. Two quick glances, and she realized that the Rivet leader was pointing the gun, not at her, but at _him_.

"T.K., look out!" she shouted, racing forward.

T.K. looked up just as Mia pushed him out of the way. The gun fired with a blast of smoke, and Mia dropped limp, clutching her chest.

"Mia!" T.K. cried, scrambling to her side.

Kari heard him and hurried over, eyes widening as well. When something like this happened, the other Angels would always cover for the others, and it applied now.

T.K. lifted Mia up so they could see her. Kari clutched her hands close. "Oh…Mia…" she whispered.

Mia coughed and spat up a bit of blood. She shrugged, smiling a bit. "Well…We had our fun, didn't we?"

Then she looked into T.K.'s eyes. Those beautiful, captivatingly blue eyes that had pulled her in three years ago, now filled with tears. "Hey Romeo…" she whispered to him, and just to him. "Why're you crying?"

T.K took a deep, stuttering breath. "M-Mia…" he tried to start, but his throat was so tight he couldn't speak.

"You got your girl…" Mia continued, "The one you waited for all these years. So go on. Be happy. Don't cry…over little ol' me…"

"Mia…" T.K. whispered again, voice cracking. "You can't…You just…"

Mia smiled gently. "See ya around…" she muttered.

With that, her eyes closed and her body dropped limp. T.K. stared at her a moment, then his head drooped in sorrow.

Kari looked on with a heavy heart. He'd always…cared about _her_. She could understand why…But now…He'd lost her forever… "T.K.…" she whispered, reaching out and squeezing his hand comfortingly.

A gruff, disgusting sound, like a cross between a boar and a cow, floated to their ears. The leader of the gang, the one that had shot Mia, was laughing over their touching scene mercilessly.

Kari felt a spasm of rage rush through T.K.'s hand. The boy suddenly leapt up and, snatching a knife from the floor, rushed forward. Kari realized to late what was happening, and now she couldn't stop him.

T.K. plunged the blade into the leader's chest. Blood splashed everywhere as he fell, getting all over T.K. in particular.

A spotlight suddenly shone through the window. "Attention. This is the police. Disband all acts of violence immediately.

Within moments, both Angels and Rivets had cleared the scene. The police always warned the Angels that if they were caught in a death brawl, there would be a price to pay.

Kari looked up. T.K. was the only one who hadn't fled. He was just standing there, staring between the bloody blade in his hand, Mia's body, and the body of the Rivet boss.

Kari stood and touched his arm. "T.K.?" she whispered, but he wasn't listening.

With a sudden movement, and before she could stop him, he'd run from the warehouse and disappeared down the streets, shedding visible tears in his wake.


	6. Dark Thoughts

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Well…Here it is. The one thing I found strangest about this…Even though there were only a few people who wanted a T.K./Mia ending, I could hardly find a single review for Ch. 5 that didn't say something along the lines of 'Poor Mia!' 'She's dead!' 'Poor T.K.!' etc. One person even said that he/she didn't like Mia, but he/she felt sorry that she'd died. (Of course, I think there'd be about that same reaction of Sora died in the show, but the only ones who agree with me work at Kari's Angels…)

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Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, but Gabriel, Mia, the Rivets and the Angels (the gang, not my friends) all belong to me and me alone. Okay? Okay…

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Of Rivets and Angels

Chapter 6: Dark Thoughts

T.K. ran through the streets, feet pounding loudly on the pavement. Every other step he splashed into a fresh puddle, sending water everywhere, but he didn't feel it. He just kept sobbing in his mind, letting the tears stream down his cheeks.

_"It's…my fault…"_ he wept in his mind. _"Mia died…To save me…She's dead… That Rivet…I killed him…I killed her…What've I done?!"_

He tripped and hit the dirt, but didn't get up. He just lay there, sobbing, crying, gripping the earth angrily.

"Why?!" he raged to no one but himself. "Why is it always like this?! Why is it that everyone I care about…everyone I _love_…Why do they always have to suffer because of me?! It wasn't supposed to end this way!" 

Images ran through his mind, over and over. Mia. The gun. The Rivet. Kari. Angemon. His brother. His mother. Angemon. Mia. Kari. Mia…

He took in another stuttering sob and pounded the ground, enraged. All his life, all jumbled together, thrown into one big mess all in his head. Sorrow over sorrow, all over and over and over and over…

He hadn't always been fighting just against the Rivets, or against the Digimon, or anything else. In his heart…he'd always thought…Always believed…That if he got strong enough, they wouldn't have to protect him or suffer because of him. He thought running away would wipe his slate clean, and he could start over, someplace where he wouldn't have to be protected. But it had followed him, even here, his whole life:

Angemon…He'd given his life for him. Sure, he'd come back. But he was a Digimon! They always came back. He still had to suffer…

Mia…She'd done the same thing, but she wasn't coming back. She was no Digimon, pure human. She could've gone on and fulfilled her dream of working at the F.B.I.…She should've been able to do it! But instead she'd thrown herself in for him…and paid for it with her life.

Kari…at the thought, T.K. gagged. The ransom photo had obviously been towards him, not Mia. If the Rivets knew about Kari, they could take her again…And if her first, who else? His father? Matt? Even…His mother?

He couldn't let that happen.

_"The best way to save the threatened…"_ he thought, standing. _"Is to eliminate the threat…"_

The threat wasn't the Rivets. It was the Angels, and it wasn't this gang war. Not for them. The threat against his friends, his family, everyone he loved was…himself.

Moments later, he was staring of the edge of the bridge, leaning on the rail. The river was deep and furious from last night's rain. It was perfect.

"River…" he muttered, half to it and half to himself. "Carry this body far away…I want them never to know what happened to me…"

With a running leap, he launched himself over the edge and plunged thirty feet down to the water.

~ * ~ * ~

Nancy sighed as she put the last of the clean dishes away in its place. She could hear the scratching of a pen in Matt's bedroom, and figured he was working on something for his studies at the university.

She looked up, just for a moment, at a line of pictures on the mantle. Somewhere in each one was the smiling face of her younger son, in many different ages. Sometimes he was eight, or five, or twelve, but he was always there, eyes twinkling, it didn't matter if he was playing with his brother or curled in her lap.

Nancy sighed again. Bitter sweet memories…

The phone in the hallway rang. She picked it up on the third ring, and could hear Matt leaning back in his chair to hear. "Hello? Takaishai residence."

"Ms. Takaishai, this is Dr. Mikado down at Odiva Regional Hospital." said a man's voice. "I believe we have your son here in the emergency wing."

Nancy gagged. "M-My _son_?!" she gasped.

"Yes." the doctor seamed a bit surprised. "Aren't you Nancy Takaishai?"

"Y-Yes…" Nancy stammered out. Matt stuck his head out the door to see what was going on.

"Mother of Takeru 'T.K.' Takaishai?" the doctor continued. "We have him here."

Nancy's mussels tensed, but she forced her body to remain very calm. "You must be mistaken." she said, suddenly cold. "T.K. has been gone for almost three years now."

"Well, we have him here." the doctor continued. "A young girl and an older man brought him in about an hour ago. He just tried to commit suicide over the Yokohama bridge."

Matt raced out of his room at a sudden loud noise from the hall. His mother was holding her hand as though to grip the telephone, which was dangling from its cord inches above the floor.

"Ms. Takaishai?" the voice on the other end called. "Ms. Takaishai, are you alright?"

"Mom?" Matt shook her shoulder gently. "Mom, what happened? Mom? _Mom?_"

~ * ~ * ~

T.K. awoke, his ears ringing. There was bright white light all around him, and warm, clean sheets with flannel blankets. He heard new, fresh raindrops outside and smelled a combination of bad food and antibiotics.

His eyes flew open. A stark white hospital room. He blinked a few times, then tried moving his stiff arms and legs. There was a stab of pain and he gazed at his hands in surprise and wonder. "I-I'm…I'm alive?" he asked the walls. What had happened?

There was a small moan and he felt someone grip his covers. He glanced down. Kari had been sitting up next to him, but grown tired and laid her head on his lap to rest. She was wet, newly-dried, with spots in her clothes. It was obvious that she'd been soaked to the bone.

T.K. ran his fingers through her hair. It was still moist. _"Kari…was it you?"_ he asked in his mind. _"Did you save me? Pull me out of the water? Kari…why?"_

"I see you've woken up."

T.K. looked up and jumped a foot. Standing in the doorway was Gabriel, leader of the Angels. "S-Sir!" he gasped.

"No need to get up." Gabriel laughed. "You both need your rest."

T.K. looked down at Kari and sighed. Gabriel nodded. "A remarkable young woman." he muttered. "And very loyal…Saw you jump of the bridge and gave no second thought to going in after you…"

T.K. sighed, but this time it was very, very sad. "Gabriel…" he whispered, tears sprouting. "I didn't deserve to be rescued…She…She should've just let me drown!"

"Do you really think that, T.K.?" Gabriel asked quietly. "Is life really as bad as you think?"

"It doesn't matter what my life is like…" the boy whispered. "It's over…"

"Things get better, T.K.…"

"It'll never get better!" he raged at himself. "Don't you understand? I just killed a man!"

Gabriel was quiet. T.K.'s noise had shaken Kari out of her rest. For a moment she sat up, blinking and wondering what was going on. When she saw T.K., her face flooded with a smile.

"T.K.! You're alright!" she cried, and with one swift motion, flung her arms around him. T.K. jumped again and just stared at her in shock. "I…I was so worried!" she sobbed.

"Kari…" T.K. whispered, then hugged her back.

Gabriel touched the young man's shoulder. T.K. looked up. "Let the dead burry the dead today." the leader whispered, then stood. "Go back to your family, Angel…your duty is over."

T.K. pulled away from Kari to face the leader. "What…" he started, but cut short.

Gabriel dropped a short black Angels jacket into his lap. It was made for a woman, and then would only have reached her waist. There were bullet holes, gash marks, and the hint of gentle perfume. In the pocket, a delicate silver chain that had once rested around a hero's neck lay dormant.

"You should keep it." Gabriel told him quietly. "Mia will be given the proper funeral, I promise you. So go back to your mother. Go back to your home. Don't worry about the Rivets…they won't bother you again."

With that, he turned and left.

There was silence a moment, before the door creaked open again. One of the nurses, in her white dress and squeaky shoes, stood there with a clipboard. "It seams you have another visitor…"

T.K. and Kari looked up as the older brown-haired woman entered in. T.K. looked sheepishly up through his bangs with a slight smile. "Hi mom…"

~ * ~ * ~

Kari appeared at the Takaishai's doorstep two weeks later, wearing her Odiva High uniform. "Good morning, Nancy." she said brightly. "I thought I'd walk T.K. to his fist day."

Nancy smiled gently at her son's girlfriend. "I'm sorry, Kari. T.K. has already left." she got a very thoughtful look. "He said he wanted to do something before school…"

Kari seamed surprised, then thought a moment and nodded. "I see…Thank you, Nancy." she gave the older woman a bow and hurried away. She knew where he was going…

She found him right where she'd thought, kneeling before a gravestone in the Odiva cemetery. It was an angel, a real one, cradling a child in her arms. The inscription was plain: Amelia Hameraki Tisatsu.

T.K., on his knees, was staring…just staring. Mia's jacket was in his arms. The silver chain was wrapped around his wrist. His eyes were out of focus, and he kept seeing the memories floating in front of him. Of Mia…Battles and training. Watching the sun set over the buildings. After the battles, thanking heavens they were still alive.

Kari leaned over his shoulder and kissed her boyfriend on the cheek. "You miss her, don't you?"

T.K. wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "Yeah…" he croaked. "She was…a dear friend…"

"A bit more than that, huh?" Kari asked quietly, resting her head on his shoulder. He wouldn't answer. "It's okay…I'm not jealous. I just…want to make sure you're okay…"  


"I'm fine…" he muttered, standing and helping her to her feet. "I just needed a little alone time, I guess…I don't want to forget her…"

"Then don't." Kari smiled at him. T.K. smiled back.

Kari grabbed his arm and lead him out of the graveyard. "Come on…We'll be late for school." she whispered. "We can walking together."

T.K. nodded and they started down the street, Kari leaning on his arm. T.K. spoke again, staring off into the sky.

"Hey Kari?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we can…watch the sun set sometimes?"

Kari nodded. "Of course, T.K.…Anything you want…"

****

The End


End file.
